St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-02
Place of
Observation.
slower. I'll
THE COAL PROBLEM.

While the bulling of the coal market
by the anthracite dealers is likely to be
the cause of more or less suffering in the
nature of fuel famine in the North
west during the coming winter, it is also
Just as likely to produce revolution in
the coal business which will protect our
people in the future against the eXtOr-
tons of the spectators and the coal
barons. In the first place it is going to
result in the use of more bituminouS
coal in this section and less anthracite
The PittSburg coal dealers already re-
alize this fact, and are now consulting
as to ways and means by which proviS-
ion can be made to meet the demand
that is expected to be made on the Pitts
burg bituminouS coal fields. The in
PRODUCTION of natural gas has curtailed
the operations of the Pittsburg coal
mines very considerably, and the own
ers are on the lookout for new
markets for their mine pro-
ducts. The high point to which
the prices of hard coal have jumped in
the Northwest makes this section pc
culiarly inviting to the Pittsburg oper-
ators. But they find one great difficulty
in the way of supplying the immediate
demand, and that is in the heavy charges
paid to vessels carrying coal across the
lakes, and the additional fact that the
tonnage is inadequate to supply the de-
mand. The PittSburg soft coal dealers
express no fears of competition from
Western coal mines. They rely upon
the superiority of their coal. The only
trouble is i'll the matter of transporta-
ton. and it is this difficulty which is
likely to bring about the second sub
stantial reform in the coal business.
The strong power of the government
has been successfully invoked to regu-
late railway transportation. Now con-
gress will be asked to extend the
power of the government by regu-
lating water transportation in the
same manner. If the anthracite coal
dealers have monopoly of the carrying
trade of the lakes then it will be neces-
sary for the government to fix sched-
ule of rates for lake transportation
which will place it out of the power of
any single combination to deprive others
of the benefits of lake transportation.
Still, if the Pittsburg coal dealers de-
sire to open up a market for their mine
products in this inviting field, instead
of waiting for the government to give
them helping hand it would be better
for them to provide fleet of their own
for lake transportation, and thus be in
dependent of the anthracite barons.
There is no question but that there is
going to be a rapidly increasing demand
for bituminous coal in this section. The
rapid development of the Northwest
makes the question of cheap fuel one of
increasing Importance, and it is reason
ably sure that if there is any way to
avoid it the people of this section will
not suffer themselves to be again driven
to the wall by the anthracite coal COM
bination as they have been this season.
BUTLER'S PENSION BILL.
1t is well for the country that Uncle
BENJAMIN BUTLER, a somewhat promi-
nent citizen of Massachusetts, is not in
congress. for the slippery old gentleman
has few ideas on pension legislation
which he would be sure to air, and the
advocacy of which, while by no means
likely to win assent would undoubtedly
succeed in obstructing the progress of
legitimate legislation. And, strange to
say, when it is remembered that com
mon sense is strong characteristic of
Americans, he is not alone in his pc
culiar views.
Uncle Ben has looked upon the enor-
nous treasury surplus with avaricious
eyes. He greatly desires its distribu-
ton among the people. from whom by the
way, it should never have been taken,
and he thinks the way to distribute it is
by the passage of general pension law
which would grant a stipulated sum to
any person who ever served during the
war, in any capacity, and without re-
gard to length of service.
This would open the doors of the
treasury with vengeance, it is true,
but it is an opening the people would
never consent to. The government
would have practically no means of pre-
venting imposition, and the soldiers
themselves would be the first to protest
against scheme so visionary. 1t is the
country's duty to take care of the
MANNED and helpless veterans, of course.
but the able-bOdied soldiers need no aid
and desire none.
Uncle BEN will have to try again if he
anticipates winning popular favor-and
popular votes, too, perhaps-by the de-
yising of curious methods of reducing
the surplus.
TARIFF REFORM.